Correspondence, passports, army orders, accounts, certificates of appointments,
fragments of diaries, mainly relating to his military career in Mexico and to his activities as Mexican
consul in San Francisco, 1859-1863. Also included: ship manifests with related papers, copies of
documents relating to Baja California, tracings of lands of the Santa Barbara mission, an espediente for
Rincon de San Francisquito, and some papers pertaining to the American conquest of California.

Background

José Marcos Mugarrieta, prior to his term as Mexican consul in San Francisco, 1857-1863,
served in the Mexican army from 1837. He saw action in numerous battles and campaigns -Jamaica, under
General Canalizo in 1841; Campeche, 1842-1843; Merida, 1843; Veracruz, 1845; Mexico City, 1846;
Angostura and Cerro-gordo, 1847; Guanajuato, 1848, and Sierra-Gorda under Bustamante, 1848-1849; and
Matamoros, 1849-1850. He directed the Sierra-Gorda colonies until ordered by General Mariano Arista,
then Minister of War, to return to Mexico via New Orleans and Veracruz, reporting on activities there.
Arista retained him in his service until January 1, 1851. Mugarrieta then became private secretary to
Manuel Robles, who succeeded Arista as Minister of War. In October 1851, Mugarrieta, aide-de-camp to
General López Uraga, traveled to the northern frontier, and accompanied the general on a
reconnaissance trip in January 1852 from Brownsville, Texas to Washington, New York, and Havana, coming
back to Mexico to resume his position as secretary to the Minister of War. In this capacity, he attended
Robles on an official visit to the principal points of the Gulf of Mexico. In November 1852, Mugarrieta
was appointed aide to Arista, who was then President. When Arista fell from power in 1853, he chose
Mugarrieta as official secretary and translator. Mugarrieta then left with the former president for
exile in England in April 1853, returning to Mexico in September of that year. At Arista's request,
Mugarrieta sailed for Europe in the fall of 1855, but before he arrived, learned of Arista's death. He
completed his journey, settled the estate, and came back to Mexico with Arista's heart.

Extent

Number of containers: 8 boxes and 1 oversize folder

Restrictions

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quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not
intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
reader.